Lobelia plant named ‘Kielowa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Kielowa’, characterized by its low-mounding and trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; vigorous growth habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; and relatively large white-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Lobelia×hybrida cultivarKielowa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobeliaplant, botanically known as Lobelia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name Kielowa.

The new Lobelia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Venhuizen, The Netherlands. The objective of the programis to create new trailing Lobelia cultivars that flower continuouslyduring the flowering season.

The new Lobelia originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventorof a proprietary selection of Lobelia×hybrida identified as code numberKA-99-1/3, not patented. The new Lobelia was discovered and selected bythe Inventor in a controlled environment in Venhuizen, The Netherlands,during the summer of 1998 from the resultant progeny of theabove-mentioned self-pollination.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings since thefall of 1998 at Venhuizen, The Netherlands, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Lobelia are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Kielowa have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kielowa’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Kielowa’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Low-mounding and trailing plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Freely and continuous flowering habit.    -   5. Relatively large white-colored flowers.

Plants of the cultivar Kielowa can be compared to plants of the parentselection. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventorin Venhuizen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Lobelia and the parentselection differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more trailing in plant habit        than plants of the parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia flowered for a longer period of        time than plants of the parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had larger flowers than plants of        the parent selection.    -   4. Flower color of plants of the new Lobelia was whiter than        flower color of plants of the parent selection.

Plants of the cultivar Kielowa can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Weslowei, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,708. However inside-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Venhuizen, TheNetherlands, plants of the new Lobelia and the cultivar Wesloweidiffered in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were more vigorous than plants of        the cultivar Weslowei.    -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia flowered earlier and more        continuously than plants of the cultivar Weslowei.    -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had larger flowers than plants of        the cultivar Weslowei.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Lobelia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof typical flowering plant of ‘Kielowa’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Kielowa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown under greenhouse conditions which closely approximatecommercial production conditions during the summer and fall in Lompoc,Calif. Rooted young plants were grown in 15.25-cm containers in apolycarbonate-covered greenhouse and were about 13 weeks from plantingwhen the photographs and description were taken. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21 to 27° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 16 to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 5,000to 9,000 foot-candles. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia×hybrida cultivar Kielowa.-   Parentage: Self-pollination of a proprietary selection of    Lobelia×hybrida identified as cide number KA-99-1/3, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 12 days at 21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 days at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days            at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 28 days            at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, and white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Low mounding and trailing flowering plants with            relatively large white-colored flowers. Lateral shoots            outwardly spreading. Freely branching habit with lateral            branches forming at every node; dense and bushy. Vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 54 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 50 cm. Diameter:            About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 3.5 to 4 cm.            Cross-section: Squarish. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color:            146A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;            sessile. Length: About 3.8 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape:            Roughly obovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Slightly serrate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.            Texture, lower surface: Slightly pubescent. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface:            146A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully            developed foliage, upper surface: 146A. Fully developed            foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 146B.            Venation, lower surface: 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Large flowers arranged            singly and axillary. Flowers held outwardly. Flowers            persistent. Flowering indeterminate. Freely and continuously            flowering habit; about ten flowers and flower buds per            lateral branch. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Flower shape.—Petals fused at base; flowers tubular and            bilaterally symmetrical with three larger lower petal lobes            and two upright upper petal lobes.        -   Natural flowering season.—Late winter until frost in the            autumn in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual            flowers is highly dependent on weather conditions; typically            about one week.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 2 cm. Depth (height): About            1.2 cm. Flower length (tube and lobes): About 2.2 cm. Tube            length: About 1.6 cm. Throat diameter, distal end: About            3 mm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 2 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Roughly obovate. Color: 145C.        -   Petal lobes.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals,            fused; three larger lower petal lobes and two smaller upper            petal lobes. Length, upper lobes: About 5 mm. Length, lower            lobes: About 9 mm. Width, upper lobes: About 3 mm. Width,            lower lobes: About 6 mm. Shape, upper and lower lobes:            Ovate. Apex, upper lobes: Cuspidate. Apex, lower lobes:            Rounded. Margin, upper and lower lobes: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower lobes, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            satiny. Color, upper and lower lobes: Developing flowers,            upper and lower surfaces: 155D. Fully developed flowers,            upper and lower surfaces: More white than 155D. Throat:            155D; tow tiny spots at top of throat, 145A. Tube: 155D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals,            star-shaped calyx. Length: About 5 mm. Width: Less than            1 mm. Shape: Narrowly lanceolate to needle-like. Apex:            Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            147A.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Flexible and wiry, flowers held            outwardly. Length: About 2.8 to 3.6 cm. Diameter: Less than            1 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Color: 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per            flower/arrangement: About five, anthers fused. Anther            length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: More gray than 79D.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 10A. Pistils: Quantity            per flower: One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape:            Tri-lobed; fused. Stigma color: 156B. Style length: About            4 mm. Style color: 144B. Ovary color: 144A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia.-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and to tolerate temperatures from 4 to    about 28° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘Kielowa’, asillustrated and described.